The Weardale Museum & High House Chapel

About

The Weardale Museum is a volunteer run charity in Ireshopeburn, County Durham. It is a small cottage museum which occupies the house next to an old Methodist Chapel. The Museum collection tells the story of the lead-mining people and also their encounters with John Wesley. The chapel is being renovated to create an enlarged Museum and Heritage Centre. The trustees encourage visitors to touch and interact with many of the fascinating objects in their Weardale Kitchen. Durham quilts and a beautifully embroidered tapestry of Weardale History are among the highlights of a visit as well as the collection of sparkling crystals and minerals from the nearby lead mines. For those interested in family history we offer a huge database of over 70,000 Weardale people. Our season starts at the Easter weekend and then we are open From May 1st to October 31st. Check our website for details of the hours and days of opening.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes